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Infectious
This disease
is spread by
Condition
Early Symptoms
Time between
exposure and
sickness
Exclusion from school,
early childhood centre,
or work*
Rashes and skin infections
Coughing, sneezing and
contact with weeping blisters.
Fever and spots with a blister
on top of each spot.
10–21 days after being exposed.
1 week from appearance of rash,
or until all blisters have dried.
Hand, foot and
mouth disease
Coughing, sneezing,
and poor hand washing.
Fever, flu-like symptoms – rash on soles
and palms and in the mouth.
3–5 days
Exclude until blisters have dried. If blisters
able to be covered, and child feeling well,
they will not need to be excluded.
Head lice (Nits)
Direct contact with
an infested person’s hair.
Itchy scalp, especially behind ears.
Occasionally scalp infections that
require treatment may develop.
N/A
None, but ECC/school should be informed.
Treatment recommended
to kill eggs and lice.
Coughing and sneezing.
Direct contact with an infected person.
Highly infectious.
Runny nose and eyes, cough and fever,
followed a few days later by a rash.
7–18 days
5 days after the appearance of rash.
Non-immune contacts of a case may
be excluded.
Contact with infected skin,
bedding and clothing.
Flat, ring-shaped rash.
4–6 weeks
None, but skin contact
should be avoided.
Rubella
Coughing and sneezing. Also direct
contact with an infected person.
Fever, swollen neck glands and a rash
on the face, scalp and body.
14–23 days
Until well and for 7 days
from appearance of rash.
Scabies
Contact with infected skin,
bedding and clothing.
Itchy rash.
4–6 weeks (but if had scabies before
it may develop within 1–4 days)
Exclude until the day after
appropriate treatment.
Direct contact with infected sores.
Blisters on the body which burst and
turn into scabby sores.
Variable
Until sores have dried up or 24 hours
after antibiotic treatment has started.
Coughing and sneezing.
The virus may be passed from mother
to child during pregnancy.
Red cheeks and lace-like rash on body.
4–20 days
Unnecessary unless unwell.
Until well and for 48 hours after the last
episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Cryptosporidium – do not use public pool
for 2 weeks after symptoms have stopped.
Salmonella - Discuss exclusion of cases
and contacts with public health service.
Chickenpox
Measles
Ringworm
(German Measles)
School sores (Impetigo)
Slapped cheek
(Human parvovirus infection)
Diarrhoea & Vomiting illnesses
Campylobacter
Cryptosporidium
Giardia
Salmonella
Undercooked food,
contaminated water. Direct spread
from an infected person or animal.
Stomach pain, fever, nausea, diarrhoea
and/or vomiting.
Campylobacter 1–10 days
Cryptosporidium 1–12 days
Giardia 3–25 days
Salmonella 6–72 hours
Hepatitis A
Contaminated food or water, direct
spread from an infected person.
Nausea, stomach pains, general
sickness. Jaundice a few days later.
15–50 days
7 days from the onset of jaundice.
Norovirus
Contact with secretions
from infected people.
Nausea, diarrhoea/and or vomiting.
1–2 days
Until well and for 48 hours after the last
episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Rotavirus
Direct spread from infected person.
Nausea, diarrhoea/and or vomiting.
1–2 days
Until well and for 48 hours after the last
episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Contaminated food or water,
contact with an infected person.
Diarrhoea (may be bloody),
fever, stomach pain.
12 hours–1 week
Discuss exclusion of cases and their
contacts with public health service.
Contaminated food or water,
unpasteurised milk. Direct contact
with animals or infected person.
High incidence of bloody diarrhoea,
stomach pain. High rate of
hospitalisation and complications.
2–10 days
Discuss exclusion of cases and their
contacts with public health service.
Influenza and
Influenza-like illness (ILI)
Coughing and sneezing.
Direct contact with infected person.
Sudden onset of fever with cough,
sore throat, muscular aches
and a headache.
1–4 days (average about 2 days)
Until well.
Streptococcal sore throat
Contact with secretions of a sore throat.
(Coughing, sneezing etc.)
Headache, vomiting, sore throat.
An untreated sore throat could lead
to Rheumatic fever.
1–3 days
Exclude until well and/or has received
antibiotic treatment for at least 24 hours.
Coughing. Adults and older children
can pass on the infection to babies.
Runny nose, persistent cough followed by
“whoop”, vomiting or breathlessness.
5–21 days
Five days from commencing antibiotic
treatment or, if no antibiotic treatment then
21 days from onset of illness or until no
more coughing, whichever comes first.
Direct contact with discharge from the eyes
or with items contaminated by the discharge.
Irritation and redness of eye.
Sometimes there is a discharge.
2–10 days (usually 3–4 days)
While there is discharge from the eyes.
Close contact with oral secretions.
(Coughing, sneezing, etc.)
Generally unwell, fever, headache,
vomiting, sometimes a rash.
Urgent treatment is required.
3–7 days
Until well enough to return.
Meningitis – Viral
Spread through different routes including
coughing, sneezing, faecal-oral route.
Generally unwell, fever,
headache, vomiting.
Variable
Until well.
Mumps
Coughing, sneezing and infected saliva.
Pain in jaw, then swelling
in front of ear and fever.
12–25 days
Exclude until 5 days after
facial swelling develops, or until well.
Shigella
VTEC/STEC
(Verocytotoxin- or shiga
toxin-producing E. coli)
Respiratory Infections
Whooping
cough
(Pertussis)
Other Infections
Conjunctivitis
(Pink eye)
Meningococcal
Meningitis
For further information contact:
Your Public Health Nurse
Vaccine-preventable and/or on National Immunisation Schedule
Your Public Health Service
* Seek further advice from a healthcare professional
or public health service
Notifiable disease (Doctors notify the Public Health Service)
Pregnant women should seek advice
from their maternity provider or G.P
Revised March 2016. 06/2016. Code HE1214